Across the City
by BubblyShell22
Summary: The city is in chaos, and the Turtles are separated from one of their own. Can they reunite and stop the Kraang, or will the aliens succeed? AU set during "The Invasion"
1. Chapter 1

Across the City

Chapter 1: Rescue

A/N: This is a story that has been in my head for quite some time so I figured it would be a good idea to just get it out there. This is an AU set during and after "The Invasion" and showcases what would have happened if the Turtles hadn't fled the city to the farmhouse and were still there when all of this went down. As for what happens, you'll have to read on to find that out because I don't want to spoil anything. I hope you enjoy this story.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and that's it.

Summary: The city is in chaos, and the Turtles are separated from one of their own. Can they reunite and stop the Kraang, or will the aliens succeed? AU set during "The Invasion"

The city was in chaos as the Kraang invaded. People were being mutated left and right, and everything was just a mess. Slash jumped from the rooftops, trying his best to avoid anyone who might see him. He was looking desperately for Raphael and the other Turtles because he felt they would probably be in the middle of all of this. His eyes darted this way and that, but he found no sign of them. Then he heard a commotion up ahead and hurried to see a group of ninjas chasing Leonardo. Slash decided to follow them and see what else was happening. He arrived just as a tiger mutant had Leo in his hands. He was also holding a phone and looking at the screen.

"They wait for him in the girl's home," he reported.

"Bait them out," a man in armor who had to be Shredder ordered.

Slash knew this wasn't a good thing, so he immediately leapt into action and landed in front of them.

"Let him go!" he commanded.

"Ah, another Turtle?" Shredder mused. "This should be interesting."

Slash ignored him. "I said let him go," he commanded again.

"Our orders are clear," the tiger mutant replied. "We are to bait out the others."

"I'm not leavin' without Leo, so you better let him go," Slash snarled.

"Foot, attack!" the tiger mutant ordered.

The ninjas converged on Slash, but the bigger turtle was able to defeat them in no time at all. The tiger mutant growled and released Leo, throwing him at Slash. Slash caught the Turtle and carried him protectively. He reached into his belt and used one of the smoke bombs Raph had given him to cover their escape. He waited to see if anyone was pursuing them, but there was no sound. Slash continued to run worried that he'd find no place to go.

"Hey, down here!" a voice said.

Slash turned and saw a middle-aged man waving to him. Slash immediately came down and joined the man.

"Good thing I found you," the man said. "This city is in chaos. Come inside where you'll be safe." He motioned Slash inside, and the bigger turtle came in still carrying Leo.

"Who are you?" Slash asked.

"The name's Jack Kurtzman," he answered. "I'm a journalist who knows all about the Kraang. I set up this base as protection for anyone who needs it, but so far you're the only one I've found."

"Is there anywhere we can set him down?" Slash asked.

"Here, set him down on this couch here," Jack replied.

Slash carefully set Leo down. The Turtle didn't even stir, and that began to alarm Slash.

"Looks like he got ambushed," Jack noted. He began examining Leo and concluded that he was severely injured. "I can fix him up, but it'll take some time for him to heal. How did you find him?"

"I was looking for his brothers when I found him being ambushed by the Foot," Slash answered. "I got him away from them and then found you."

"Where are his brothers?" Jack asked him.

"I think they're at some girl's home," Slash said. "That's what the tiger mutant said."

"Must be April O'Neil's place," Jack noted. "They're good friends with her."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. You think we should get them?"

"No, there's no way we can get to them now. Best to just lie low since the city's in chaos. We'll just have to do what we can for Leonardo. I hope he'll wake up soon."

"Me too," Slash said. "I'd hate to think what would happen if he didn't make it. Raph would go ballistic."

"I bet he would," agreed Jack. "Look, we'd better just get some rest for now. There's not much else we can do at the moment."

"I'll keep watch over Leonardo," Slash offered. "I think it would be a good idea."

"Sounds fine. We can always switch watches if you want."

"I'll let you know. Thanks for this, Jack. I don't know what we'd do without you."

"No problem. Our next point will be to see if there's anyone else in the city who needs shelter. We can do that tomorrow though."

Slash nodded and turned his attention to Leo. The Turtle still hadn't woken up, and Slash was really getting worried. Leo was never like this and was the toughest Turtle Slash had ever known. But now he looked so vulnerable and hurt with the injuries spanning his body. Jack had patched him up the best he could, but Slash had to wonder if Leo was going to survive all of this in the end. If he didn't, there was definitely going to be hell to pay, and Slash was going to join Raph in giving Shredder a taste of his own medicine. With a sigh, Slash gently took Leo's hand in his own.

"Leo, I hope you wake up, brother," he said softly. "You're safe now, and nothing is gonna happen to you. Just get better for Raph's sake. I don't know where he is, but I'm gonna find him and bring him to you so you'll be together again. We'll get through this and take back the city just as we should." He waited, but Leo didn't even stir at his words. It felt like a bad omen to Slash, and it was something he didn't like to think about. He remained in silence as he kept watch over Raphael's injured brother.

22222

The next day, nothing had changed. Leo was still in a coma, and Slash wasn't sure what to do. Jack surmised that it would probably take some time for Leo to recover from what he'd been through.

"So, now what do we do?" Slash asked.

"I think the best thing we can do is lay low until nightfall then search and see if anyone else needs shelter," Jack answered.

Slash nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I guess I'll just keep an eye on Leo then."

Jack gave him a smile and left him to do other business. Slash wasn't sure what the investigative journalist did in his spare time, but it had to be something interesting. And how did he know so much about the Kraang? Deciding not to ponder this, Slash kept vigil over Leo. It wasn't much fun, but he knew Raph would want him to do it. The bigger turtle talked to Leo, hoping that he would hear him and wake up. He told stories about Raph and what he remembered that even Leo probably didn't know about. Raph would probably kill him for saying something, but Slash didn't care. He wanted to do anything to help Leo get better, even if that meant betraying Raph's trust.

When night fell, Slash left Leo's side to patrol the city. He hated leaving the blue-clad Turtle, but he figured the sooner he found Leo's brothers, the better. As he scoured the city, he found no sign of any of the other Turtles, but a commotion drew him on. He saw a group of Kraangdroids surrounding what looked like a mutant alligator. The alligator was holding his own, but it looked like the tide could turn at any moment. Slash leapt into action, swinging his mace and clobbering quite a few of the robots himself. A Kraangdroid tried to sneak up on him, but before he could do anything, someone else entered the fray and took down the robot. Slash turned to see a mutant monkey with a strange head piece battling the robot. Further on, he caught sight of a mutant pigeon who was doing his best to fight but not having much luck. Slash aided him and quickly disposed of the robots who were trying to hurt him.

"Thanks," the pigeon mutant said. "I was afraid no one was gonna help me out there."

"No problem, brother," Slash replied. "What's your name?"

"The name's Pete," the pigeon answered. "The alligator is Leatherhead, and the monkey is Dr. Rockwell. Who are you?"

"My name is Slash," Slash told him. "I live in a special base. If you guys want, you can come with me where you'll be safe."

"That would be delightful," Rockwell said. "We have been on our own for some time, so it is nice to see someone else who knows where we have been. What say the rest of you?"

Leatherhead smiled. "I would be honored to join you, Slash," he replied.

"I'll come too as long as you have some bread," Pete added.

"I'm sure we have some at the base, and if we don't, then we can find some. Follow me, fellas."

The other mutants followed Slash to the base. All of them were impressed by the size of it and even more surprised when they saw Kurtzman there.

"Who did you bring with you, Slash?" the journalist asked.

"Meet Leatherhead, Pete, and Dr. Rockwell," Slash introduced them. "Guys, this is Jack Kurtzman. He's a journalist who has studied the Kraang for years."

"A pleasure to meet you, old chap," said Rockwell, and the others echoed the sentiment.

Then Leatherhead's eyes fell on the couch and who was laying there. "Is that Leonardo?" he asked.

Slash nodded. "I helped him get away from Shredder and his army. They were ambushing him, so I brought him here after Jack encouraged me to come with him. I've been trying to find his brothers, but I haven't had any luck so far. But now that you guys are here, maybe we'll have more luck with that."

"We would be honored to help you, Slash," Leatherhead said.

"Great. I think we'll make a good team. And all good teams have a name. I propose that we call ourselves the Mighty Mutanimals. What do you say, fellas?"

Rockwell nodded. "I think it is an ingenious name."

"I like it as well," Leatherhead said. "It is something that will give us a purpose for as long as we are here."

"I think it sounds cool like one of those comic books," Pete piped up.

"Then it's settled. You better make yourselves at home."

Pete asked Jack for some bread, and he happened to have some. The mutant pigeon ate happily, sighing in contentment. Leatherhead settled down to sleep because he was tired. Rockwell examined Leo and then turned to Slash.

"What's the verdict, Doc?" Slash asked.

"He's been through a lot, but hopefully he will recover. Tomorrow, I'll see if I can delve into his mind and coax him to wake up. There has to be something there that is preventing him from awakening so quickly."

"Will it work?" Slash asked him.

"I hope so," Rockwell replied. "For now the best thing we can do is keep watch over him."

"I can do that," said Slash.

"No, you've been doing it all of this time. You need your rest too. I'll stand guard over him and then wake you when I feel the need to rest."

"Sounds fine to me," Slash agreed. "See you later, Doc." He went over to his makeshift bed and lay down. As much as he wanted to stay by Leo's side, Rockwell was right. He'd been doing it for a long time, and he needed his rest. He figured if anything changed, Rockwell would alert him and let him know. His last thought was that he hoped that Raph and the others were safe and that they would be okay. He would hate to think of what Leo's reaction would be if anything happened to his family. With a sigh, Slash drifted off to sleep and was happy that he'd found a team of mutants who would help him. He only hoped that things would get better from here on out.

A/N: So that's the end of the first chapter. What do you think so far? I have to admit, I'm excited to be doing this story. Next chapter will be about the Turtles, April, and Casey and what they were doing while this was going on. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The New Lair

A/N: So here's the next chapter in this little tale. I'm having a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you guys are enjoying it as well. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me. So now let's see what April, Casey, and the other Turtles have been up to.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

The small apartment was tense as everyone sat inside. Mikey and Donnie were worried because Raph and Casey weren't there yet. Kirby was huddled in a corner, probably scared because of everything he'd been through at the hands of the Kraang, and April was pacing the floor.

"Where could they be?" she asked.

"They probably got into some trouble knowing them," Don grumbled.

As if on cue, Raph and Casey burst into the apartment.

"Dudes, the Kraang are here!" Casey yelled.

"We know that!" Don snapped. "Have you seen Leo?"

"No, we just got here," Raph answered. "He never came with you."

A saddened look crossed Donnie's face. "He led the Kraangdroids away from us," he said. "We got into a fight about what the next plan of action would be. I thought he would be with you guys."

"Nope, haven't seen him, but he better get here soon," said Raph.

A loud crash shook the apartment, startling everyone inside. Casey peered out and saw a large Kraang robot passing by.

"We can't stay here," April said. "We have to get out of the city."

"We're not goin' anywhere without Leo," Raph declared.

"Don't you think he'd be here by now?" April asked him. "Something must have happened to him."

"Then we go out and look for him," Raph told her.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Raphael," Kirby said.

"I know you're scared, Mr. O'Neil, but Leo's our top priority right now. We have to do everything we can to find him. We have a policy of No Turtle Left Behind, and we're sticking to it now."

"Yeah, we can't let Leo stay out there," Mikey agreed. "Let's go find him."

"But we can't do it on foot," April told them.

"I have something we could use," Kirby replied. "Let's go."

They followed him out of the apartment and to a van that looked like it had seen better days. It was yellow and covered with different symbols.

"What the hell is that thing?" Raph demanded.

"It's my old van from my hipster days," Kirby said. "It should work for what you need to do." He held up two fingers in a peace sign. "Groovy!" Then he was covered in green mutagen and transformed into a Kraang mutant as Kraang Prime roared in laughter.

"Not again!" April groaned.

"Red, let's get out of here!" Casey yelled.

They piled into the van, and Casey started the engine. He peeled out of the street with Kirby chasing behind for a short distance before he fell back and gave up. Everyone was tense as they watched what was going on in the city.

"So what do we do now?" Mikey asked.

"We find Leo and get the hell out of here," Raph answered.

"Where do you think he could be?" April asked.

"Maybe he took cover in the Lair," Don suggested. "I could see him going back if he held off the Kraangdroids."

"Then we'll go back and look for him," Raph said with a determined look in his eyes.

"I'll meet you guys back here," Casey said. "I'm going to look for my family to see if they're around."

"Good idea," Raph said "We'll meet you back here in an hour."

Nodding, Casey let them off and then drove away. The Turtles and April went to one of the secret entrances to the Lair and headed into the sewers. They spotted tons of Kraangdroids scattered about, but they were all defeated. Their first thought was that it had probably been Leo who had defeated them or Master Splinter. When they arrived at the Lair, it was very quiet. They looked upon the remains of what had once been their home. April was shocked at the damage, and a wave of guilt coursed through her. If it had not been for her leading Irma there, none of this would have happened to them.

The Turtles called for Leo and Splinter, but they weren't there.

"Okay, everyone grab one thing from the Lair before we head out of here," Don ordered. He went into his lab and grabbed his medical kit. Mikey grabbed Ice Cream Kitty and some frozen pizzas, storing it all into a cooler. Raph grabbed a picture of Spike and hoped he was okay before going into Leo's room and grabbing a few things he felt sure his brother would want.

Suddenly, April clutched her head. "Guys, Master Splinter's close! I can sense him! This way!" She led the Turtles out of the Lair and through a series of turns until they came upon Splinter battling Shredder. It looked as though Splinter was winning, but then the tide turned as Shredder threw some blinding powder at the rat. He then incapacitated him and lifted him by the scruff of the neck. He spotted a drain and activated it while the Turtles and April screamed for their father and mentor. Shredder threw Splinter into the drain, and they watched helplessly as Splinter was sucked inside as Shredder left.

"You monster!"Raph yelled. He pounded on the bars in an attempt to get to their sworn enemy, but Mikey calmed him down, reassuring him that everything would be okay because Splinter was a ninja master. Raph calmed down, but he was still upset. What if Shredder had done the same to Leo? He really wanted to see his brother right now. Leo would know what to do.

"So where do we go now?" asked April.

"I think I know just the place," Mikey declared. He led them to the spot where they met Casey and piled into the van. Then Mikey gave Casey directions which he followed.

"The pizza place?" Raph asked him.

"Yep. It's the perfect place. No one will ever look for us here."

"Sounds like a good place for Casey Jones," Casey said.

"Did you find your dad and your little sister?" April asked him.

Casey sighed. "No sign of 'em. They've probably been Kraangitized."

April put an arm around him which Don didn't like. Then they set about getting settled in. For better or for worse, this was their home now, and they had to make do with it. There was no way they could leave the city without Leo, and they all hoped that in time they'd find the missing Turtle and be a family again. With that last thought in their heads, the family of six settled down to sleep and hope that tomorrow would be a new day.

A/N: A bit of a short chapter, but it was the best I could do. Next chapter will be back with the Mutanimals and Leo. Will Leo wake up, and when he does, what will his reaction be to seeing Slash? Stay tuned to find out. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Two Reunions

A/N: Not much to say except here's chapter three. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words mean the world to me. Now things will really start to pick up.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

He was drifting somewhere, but he didn't know where he was at. He could hear voices and knew he had to get to them. They were coaxing him to return, and he felt it was time. He fought against the restraints that were binding him down. He wasn't going to let Shredder win this time. Fighting with all of his might, he broke free and opened his eyes. What awaited him was not what he expected. There were faces looking at him, but they weren't the faces of his brothers. Instead, a mutant turtle Leo knew very well was gazing at him. He gasped and tried to get away.

Slash gently grabbed him before he could fall off the couch. "Take it easy, Leonardo," he soothed. "You've been through a lot. We're not gonna hurt you."

Leo glared at the mutant turtle. "Where are my brothers?" he demanded. "What have you done with them?"

"They aren't here," Slash answered. "I've been trying to locate them with no luck. But I did find another team to help me. Meet Pete, Leatherhead, and Doctor Rockwell. We call ourselves the Mighty Mutanimals."

Despite his fear, Leo couldn't help but laugh. "That's an interesting name," he commented. "So what have you guys been doing?"

"Well, besides looking after you, we've been trying to find your brothers and anyone else who needs shelter," Slash replied.

"Why am I here?" Leo asked him.

"I was patrolling when I saw you getting ambushed by Shredder's army. I drove them away and took you with me because I knew you needed help. Then I ran into Jack Kurtzman and he asked me to come here. Then while I was looking for your brothers, I found these guys."

"Thanks for saving me, Slash. I really appreciate it."

"No problem, Leonardo. Now all we have to do is find your brothers."

"We also have to find Master Splinter and Karai," Leo interjected. "You haven't seen them, have you?"

"Nope, we've only seen you so far, but we've been looking for as long as we can. I don't know if we'll find them or not, but it's worth a shot to keep trying. We can only leave at night though."

"What about the Kraang? Any news on them?"

"They've taken over the whole city," Jack replied. "There aren't any humans around for miles, though the Mutanimals have been searching. Looks like the city is dead.

Leo nodded. He wasn't happy that all of this was happening, but he was thankful that he was safe and not out there. He just hoped his brothers were okay and that they hadn't left without him.

As if he could read the Turtle's thoughts, Slash said, "Don't worry, Leo. I'm sure Raph and the others are still here. They'd never abandon you."

"I know. That's why we have to find them." He made as if to stand up, but a wave of pain shot through him, causing him to cry out and nearly fall over. Slash caught him and set him back on the couch.

"Easy there, Leo, you're not going anywhere in this condition. I know you wanna help your brothers, but you can't do it in your condition. You have to heal up first."

Leo sighed in exasperation. "How bad are my injuries?"

"Well, from what I can gather, you sustained a heavy amount of bruising from the attack," Rockwell replied. "It also looks as though your knee is injured, but I can't tell the extent of the injury or what it entails. I'm afraid you'd have to have an X-Ray for that sort of thing."

"So, I guess this means I'm out of action for a while. I guess I'll just have to deal with it."

"Don't worry, Leo, we'll find your brothers and bring them back to you," Slash soothed. "Just sit tight, okay?"

Leatherhead put his hand on Leo's shoulder. "We will be sure to find your family, Leonardo. Just rest and keep faith."

"I'll do my best," Leo answered. "Stay safe, guys."

"We will," Slash promised. "See you soon."

Leo watched as the Mighty Mutanimals left the base. He was happy they were doing something to find his family and he truly hoped they'd be successful.

"Do you want something to eat, Leonardo?" Jack asked him.

"Sure. What do you have?"

"I think I have some chicken noodle soup. You okay with that?"

"Sure, as long as there are crackers to go with them."

"Yep. Can't have them any other way." The journalist headed to the kitchen to prepare the soup for Leo.

Leo lay back and waited for the soup to be done. He hated what was going on right now, but there wasn't much he could do. If Donnie came to find him, maybe he could help Leo get better so they could take back the city. After Jack gave him the soup, Leo ate and thought of his family, hoping against hope that they were okay.

22222

Back at Antonio's, the Turtles, April, and Casey were settling in. They were worried about Leo but hadn't seen him on their patrols. The Turtles were gearing up for another one, and the humans wanted to go too.

"No, you guys have to stay here," Raph replied. "Someone has to guard the base, and it looks like you two are the best to do it."

"That's not fair!" April whined. "I can help sense Leo if he's in the city."

"Yeah, and you know I'm good for bustin' some skulls," Casey added.

"Sorry, guys, but you have to stay here," Raph said. "If anyone sees you, they won't think too much about humans holing up in a base. We'll try and be back soon, okay? Just don't do anything stupid."

April and Casey said nothing more as the Turtles left.

"Dude, that was kind of harsh," Mikey said. "We could have at least used Casey's help."

"Look, it's better for everyone if they stay behind. We have a job to do, and that's to find Leo and Splinter. So let's stop arguing and get to work."

Donnie and Mikey looked at each other, but said nothing more as they followed Raph out of the shop. They knew he was right, but it didn't make them feel any better about it all. As they scoured the rooftops, they kept their eyes peeled for anything that seemed like it could lead them to their missing brother.

"Hey, what's that up there?" Mikey asked.

They followed where he was pointing and saw a battle taking place.

Raph grinned. "Looks like it's time to kick some shell," he said with a grin. Motioning his brothers along, they followed the battle and joined in. The battle didn't last long, and as soon as it was done, Raph and his brothers were triumphant as they stood among the fallen Kraangdroids.

"Raphael?" a familiar voice asked.

Raph started as he heard the voice. He turned and gaped at the turtle standing before him. "Slash?" he gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you guys," Slash answered. "Where have you been?"

"We've been at the pizza place," Mikey answered.

"Michelangelo, is that you?" another voice asked.

Mikey's blue eyes lit up. "Leatherhead!" he yelled as he engulfed the mutant alligator in a hug. "I've missed you, buddy."

"I have missed you as well," Leatherhead answered.

"Have you guys seen Leo?" Raph asked them.

"Sure, we've seen him," another familiar mutant said. "He's at the base with us."

"Pigeon Pete?" Raph asked.

"Yep, I'm here."

"As am I," said a voice with a British accent as a mutant monkey came forward.

Don gaped. "Dr. Rockwell?" he gasped.

"Ah, Donatello, so we meet again. I must say, I am dreadfully sorry about the beating I gave you upon our first meeting. I was not in my right mind at the time thanks to that dreaded Falco."

Don smiled a little sheepishly, remembering his first encounter with Rockwell. "Uh, no problem," he said.

"Okay, enough with the introductions," Raph said impatiently. "Where's Leo?"

"Relax, Raph, we'll take you right to him," Slash said.

"Is he really okay?" Mikey asked them.

"He's hurt, but he'll survive," Slash replied.

"Then let's go see him," Raph said, his green eyes filled with determination.

22222

Leo sighed in contentment as he finished his soup. It definitely made him feel better, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry about the Mutanimals and if they were going to be okay. He hoped they hadn't run into trouble.

He heard a door open and gasped. Jack stood in front of him with a gun out, ready to shoot anyone who dared to invade their space. Then he relaxed as he saw the Mighty Mutanimals coming into the base.

"Hey, Leonardo, we brought some company," Slash said. He gestured behind him to where Leo's brothers stood.

Mikey ran to Leo's side and engulfed him in a hug. "Leo! Dude, you're okay!" he said.

"Whoa, careful, Mikey," Leo cautioned. "I'm still injured, you know."

"Yeah, take it easy, Mikey," Raph said. He waited until Mikey stepped back before clapping Leo on the shoulder. "Good to see you're okay, bro. I missed you."

"Are you sure about that?" Leo asked him.

Raph laughed. "Of course I am."

Don stepped up next. "Hi, Leo," he said. "Look, I'm sorry about the fight we had. It was stupid, and I never should have said what I did. I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you, Donnie," Leo said gently.

"So, what's the status report on your injuries, Leo?" Don asked him.

"Well, my leg's hurt as well as everything else," he answered.

"Why is your voice so different?" Mikey asked him.

"I sustained damage to my throat," Leo told him. "At least, that's what Jack told me."

"Yep, your brother's been through the ringer, but he's got a fighting spirit," Jack commented. "No normal human could have survived what he did."

"So what happens now?" asked Mikey.

"We bring April and Casey here and plan what to do next," Leo said. "Where are they?"

"At Antonio's," answered Mikey. "That's where we've been."

Leo laughed. "Only you would think to hide in a pizza place, Mikey."

"Okay, I'll go get April and Casey and our things and meet you guys back here," said Don.

"Take Slash with you," ordered Leo. "I don't want you out there alone."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Don. "You do remember what he tried to do to me the last time?"

"Look, I'm a different turtle than I was then, Donatello. I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just gonna protect you from any Kraang who might get in our way."

"I trust him, Donnie," said Leo. "Can't you trust me, too?"

Don sighed. "Yes, Leo, I can trust you," he replied. "We better go now."

"Good luck," said Mikey.

After Don and Slash left, Leatherhead showed Mikey around the base while Raph stayed by Leo's side. Leo couldn't help but feel relief that his brothers were here.

"Have you seen Sensei or Karai?" he asked Raph.

Raph shook his head. "No, we haven't. My guess is they're hidin' out somewhere."

"Our next point of action will be to find them," Leo said.

"No, our next point of action should be getting you back on your feet," Raph corrected him.

"That can wait!" Leo insisted. "We need to get Splinter back first."

"But we don't know where he is, Leo. Let's just get through one step at a time. We'll find him, and if I know Splinter, he's probably smart enough not to show himself to the Kraang. Tomorrow, you and I are gonna do some training of our own so we can get you off of this couch."

Leo sighed. "Okay, Raph, you win," he said.

Not long after, Don and Slash returned with April, Casey, and most of their things. Mikey put Ice Cream Kitty in the freezer, happy that there was one for her to stay in. Casey and April were happy to see Leo was okay and marveled at the size of the warehouse.

"So what do we do now?" Casey asked.

"We stay here until we figure out how to take the Kraang out for good," Raph said. "Tomorrow, Leo and I are gonna do some training so we can get him back on his feet. The sooner he heals, the better off we'll be at defeating the Kraang."

"I think I have a solution," Don interjected. "I've been working on some mutagen medicine, and I think that will help heal Leo in no time."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Donnie?" Raph asked him.

"It can't hurt," Don replied. He took out a vial of the mutagen and poured some on a spoon. "Here you go, Leo, this'll help you get better."

Leo took the proffered medicine then shuddered as it went down.

"How does it taste?" Mikey asked him.

"It tastes like something that's supposed to be coming out of me and not going into me," Leo answered as he shuddered once more.

"In other words, it tastes like shit," Raph translated.

"It's probably no worse than those medicines Sensei used to give us!" Don countered. "And if it helps Leo, that's the main thing, right?"

"Stop arguing, you two," Leo said wearily. "I'm not in the mood for it."

"Yeah, we better get some sleep so you can train tomorrow," Raph said.

"But where can we train?" Leo asked him.

"You can go to the sewers for that," Slash said. "We've been staking out places where the Kraang aren't active. I could take you to one."

"Sounds great," Raph said. "We'll do that then."

"I've got plenty of blankets for all of you," said Jack. "Just settle yourselves on the floor. I wish I had beds, but they aren't available at the moment."

Everyone nodded and settled down to sleep. Mikey snuggled next to Leatherhead, Don took a position near April and Casey, and Raph bunked right next to Leo, ready to help him if he had a nightmare. Leo smiled and closed his eyes. The only thing that would make this complete would be if Karai and Splinter were there, too, but Leo knew they would find them in time, and that was all that mattered.

22222

The next day, they had breakfast before Leo, Raph, and Slash headed out for training. Don gave Leo a bottle of the mutagen medicine in case he needed it. Leo didn't want to take it, but he knew Don had good intentions, so he did as Don asked, storing it in his belt where he could reach it. Jack gave him a cane he had made so that Leo could walk on his own. His knee was throbbing, but he took some of the medicine and then set out with Raph and Slash.

Raph's eyes lit up when he noticed where they were. "Hey, I remember this place!" he said. "Leo, you remember when we came here when we were kids?"

"Yeah, we'd race each other and created an obstacle course," Leo answered.

"This will be perfect for training," Raph said.

"I'm not gonna race you," Leo told him. "There's no way I can make it on this leg."

"We don't need to race, Leo. Let's just walk."

Leo nodded and followed his brother. Slash brought up the rear, ready to clobber anyone who stood in their way.

"Let's build up those muscles, Leo," Raph encouraged. "You've gotten really weak."

"You don't have to rub it in," Leo said bitterly. His knee gave out, and he fell to the ground. He sighed in frustration. "I don't think I'm ever going to be the same again."

"Hey, don't talk like that!" Raph said. "That's not the Leo I know! Let's keep going."

They continued on, Leo gulping some mutagen medicine to see if it would help. They came upon a place where the water flowed and was interspersed with bricks to cross. Raph smiled as they reached it.

"I remember this place," he said. "You and I used to challenge each other with how fast we could get across."

"I remember it, too," Slash said. "You brought me here once, Raph."

"Yeah, I remember wanna join us, Slash?"

"Nah, I'll stand guard here. You two have your fun."

"Let's do this, Leo," Raph said and began crossing.

Leo sighed and made to follow his brother, but a wave of dizziness overcame him, and a nauseous feeling assaulted his stomach. "Oh man," he moaned. "I think I'm gonna be sick." He turned and vomited, his stomach pulsing with pain.

"Leo, you okay?" Slash asked, hurrying to the blue-clad Turtle's side.

"No," he moaned. "I think it's that medicine Donnie gave me. I'm not feeling too good."

Raph hurried over after noticing that Leo hadn't followed him. "What happened?" he asked.

"Leo got sick," Slash said. "He thinks it's from the medicine Donnie gave him."

Raph's green eyes darkened in anger. "I just knew that medicine was trouble!" he growled. "I'm gonna have a few words with Donnie when we get back."

"Right now, let's just concentrate on getting Leo home," Slash said, trying to calm Raph down.

"Yeah, you're right, Slash. We better go."

Leo got sick at least two more times, and after he was done, he looked up and gasped, "Master Splinter?"

Raph and Slash saw what Leo saw at the same time. Splinter had come out of a junction and was snarling and snapping as he looked around.

"Sensei!" Leo yelled. "We're over here!"

Splinter turned and saw them, but he growled and advanced toward them.

"I don't think that was a good idea, Leo," Raph said.

Leo ignored him and made his way toward his father. "Sensei, it's me, Leonardo," he said. "We've been looking all over for you. Come back with us. We have a safe place where we can all stay."

Splinter snarled and lunged at Leo, knocking him to the ground and pinning him, snapping his jaws at his son. Leo tried to dodge the jaws and begged for Splinter to remember him.

Slash roared and swung his mace at Splinter, knocking the rat off of Leo. Splinter snarled and lunged at Slash next, but the big mutant fought him off while Raph hurried to Leo's side.

"Slash, don't hurt him!" Leo begged.

Splinter managed to rake his claws on Slash's shoulder, causing the big turtle to cry out in pain as he threw Splinter off. The rat growled and took off running away from the group.

"No!" Leo cried out. "Sensei, come back!"

"It's no use, Leo," Raph said softly. "He's gone."

"He didn't remember me," Leo whispered.

"He's out of his mind," Slash said clutching his shoulder. "We'd better get home."

Leo tried to go on, but another wave of dizziness came over him, and he felt to the ground. He definitely didn't feel well and couldn't go on. Raph stored Leo's cane in his belt and picked up his older brother to carry him the rest of the way. Leo fought to stay awake, but he couldn't do it, and gave in to the blackness, trying to block out the memory of Splinter's dead eyes.

A/N: I'm ending the chapter here because I think it's long enough. There will definitely be more to this story though as I'm having fun writing it. So now they've glimpsed Splinter. Will they be able to free him, or will he remain in that state? You'll have to read on to find out, and in the meantime feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Good Intentions

A/N: So here's the next chapter in this tale. I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words mean the world to me. So now we'll see Raph tear into Donnie and what else will happen in this saga. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

When they arrived back at the warehouse, Raph gently set Leo on the couch and pulled the blanket over him. Slash went to talk to Jack while Raph stayed by his brother's side.

Donnie came hurrying over. "What happened, Raph?" he asked.

"He got sick thanks to your stupid medicine!" Raph snapped. "What the hell were you thinkin', Donnie? You could have killed him!"

"I had the best of intentions, Raph," Don replied. "I didn't know he was gonna react like that."

"Well he did!" Raph snarled. He grabbed the bottle of medicine and poured it down the sink. "We're not messin' with this stuff anymore. From now on, we're usin' real medicine that won't kill him or make him sick."

"That's not all we saw though," Slash said. "We saw Splinter, too."

"You did?" Mikey gasped. "Why isn't he with you?"

"He was out of his mind and attacked us," Slash replied, pointing to his shoulder. Don hurried over and took Slash to get it fixed.

"Is Leo okay, Raph?" Mikey asked him.

"No, he got sick off of the medicine," Raph answered. "I think he's worn out. Just let him sleep, okay?"

"Okay," Mikey said. He gave Leo a kiss on the forehead and left to go hang out with Leatherhead.

"So we know Splinter's alive," Casey said. "Let's go down there and get him back."

"We can't do that, Casey," April said. "Slash said Splinter's not in his right mind and he tried to attack them. He could very well do that to us."

"So what are we supposed to do then?"

"We wait," Raph said simply. "We can't just go rushin' in there without a plan." He turned back and sat by Leo's side.

22222

Don sighed after Raph made his accusation. How could Raph think that he was trying to kill Leo? He'd only had good intentions by trying to make Leo feel better. How was he to know the mutagen would do that to his brother?

Rockwell noticed Don's look and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up, chap," he said. "You had the best of intentions when trying to heal your brother. Not all experiments start out well, Donatello. I have reason to know being a scientist and all."

"I doubt you ever had an experiment fail, Doc," Don said sadly.

"Oh, but I did," Rockwell replied. "It happens to all scientists, my friend. Though I must say that it probably was Falco's fault for some of them. He always was the one who wanted all the glory."

"That might be true, Doc, but this is different. It could have gone so wrong. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you were worried about your brother and wanted to help him. I'm sure Leonardo will understand that and will not blame you one bit for it."

Don knew Leo would forgive him, but he had a feeling Raph wouldn't want him doing anything to Leo for a long time after this.

"Don, we need you!" Raph cried. "Leo's burning up!"

Instantly, Don was at Leo's side and felt his forehead. Heat radiated from his brother, and Don couldn't help but feel guilty for what had happened. This was all his fault, and now he had to correct it.

"What's happening?" Slash asked.

"He's having a reaction to the medicine," Don replied. "Get a cold washcloth and put it on his forehead. Maybe that'll cool him down."

Slash did as Don asked and put the washcloth on Leo's forehead. Leo groaned a bit but didn't open his eyes.

"Now what do we do, D?" Mikey asked him.

"All we can do is wait," said Don. "If the fever goes down, then that's a good thing. If it doesn't, then we'll have to probably put him in cool water. Is there a bathtub around here?"

"Yeah, there's one in the bathroom," Slash replied.

"We may need to use it. Mr. Kurtzman, do you have a thermometer? I want to check Leo's temperature."

"Yeah, I have one right here," Jack replied. He took the thermometer and started to put it under Leo's tongue. Leo struggled a bit, and Jack soothed, "Calm down, son. I need to check your temperature, okay?" Leo stopped resisting and let Jack put the thermometer in. After a few minutes they saw that his temperature was one hundred and two.

"Hopefully, with the washcloth, it'll cool him down," Don said. "We'll just have to wait and see."

Raph stayed by Leo's side while Don and Rockwell conferred a little about what to do next. Two hours later, Don checked and saw that Leo's temperature had gone up, not down. April ran the water in the tub, and they picked Leo up to put him in the tub. He resisted again, but Raph soothed him by saying, "It's okay, Leo. We're gonna get you better. We're all right here." Leo calmed down at the sound of Raph's voice, and they carried him into the bathroom and set him gently into the tub. Once again, Raph decided to keep watch, sitting on a small stool that was there while the others left.

22222

Leo was hot, and he had no idea what was going on. Someone was pushing something into his mouth, and he resisted. Were the Kraang trying to experiment on him? Was Shredder trying to hurt him? Then he heard a voice that was familiar telling him to relax, and he did so. He knew Jack would never hurt him. He heard some voices and felt someone put something wet and cold on his forehead. It felt good, and he sighed a little. Maybe the burning would stop now.

But two hours later, the burning got worse. He could feel himself being lifted and again resisted. What if Shredder was going to kill him? He couldn't let them hurt him. He had to get to his family.

"It's okay, Leo," a familiar voice soothed. "We're gonna make you better. We're all right here."

Leo sighed again as he heard that voice. Yes, Raph would take care of him. Raph would make sure he was okay. He heard Raph continue to talk to him as he was lowered into the tub. He gasped a little at the cold water, but he knew this was going to help him. He heard the others leave but sensed that Raph had stayed. He heard Raph scoot closer and take his hand, giving it a squeeze which Leo returned.

"That's it, Leo," Raph soothed. "You're gonna be okay."

22222

Raph sighed as he gazed at Leo's face. He seemed to be getting better, and when Raph checked his forehead, it felt cooler. Yes, this was working.

He heard footsteps and saw that Slash was standing in the doorway.

"You want me to take over for you, Raph?" he asked.

"No, I got it, Slash," he answered. "You did your part after you rescued him."

"I know, but you can't stay here forever. Mikey just made some food and wants you to eat."

"I'm not hungry," Raph answered. "I'll eat later. But at least Leo's cooled down now."

"Good. I'll send for Donnie so he can check to see if the fever's broken."

Not long after, Donnie came in. Raph's instinct was to shield his older brother from him because he didn't trust Donnie after what had happened. If Donnie hadn't been so stupid regarding the mutagen, this never would have happened to Leo. Leo would have been fine. Instead, Raph let Don do his thing and was relieved when Don turned to him with a smile.

"The fever has broken," Don reported. "We can take Leo back to the couch."

"Good," Raph said. He, Donnie, and Slash carried Leo out of the tub and back to the couch. Leo sighed again, and Raph rubbed his brother's head.

"Is Leo okay now?" Mikey asked.

"Yep, he's better," Donnie answered.

"Cool. I just wish Splinter was here."

"We all do, Mikey, but we have to be careful about getting him back," Raph said.

"Donatello and I were talking about that, and I think I have a solution," Rockwell said.

"What's that, Doc?" Slash asked him.

"Well, Splinter's mind has been warped because of his experience of being thrown down the drain. Perhaps through meditation, Splinter can come back to them."

"Leo's the best at meditation," Don said.

"Then perhaps Leonardo will have to do this to help get Splinter back," Rockwell answered. "I know he's not in the best of shape now, so it'll have to wait until he's back in full form."

"I think Leo would be up for that, but we'll have to ask him," Raph said. "For now, let's just hang tight and let him get better first."

22222

Three days later, Leo was fully over his fever. He had heard what Rockwell wanted him to do, but he wasn't sure if it would work.

"You gotta try, Leo," Mikey encouraged him. "It's the only way to get Sensei back."

"I know, Mikey, but what if it doesn't work?" Leo asked doubtfully. "Then what do we do?"

"Then perhaps I can be of service if it doesn't work," Rockwell answered. "I can help you if you have a hard time with getting through to him. Perhaps with my powers linked to your mind, we can try and get him back."

Leo nodded. "It's worth a shot."

"But I have mind powers, too," April said. "Maybe I can help."

"No way, April," Leo said firmly. "We're not putting you at risk. It's too dangerous."

April stamped her foot. "I'm almost a full on kunoichi, Leo!" she snapped. "I've proven myself to you already!"

Leo glared at her. "No arguments, April," he said firmly. "You're not coming, and that's final. You have to learn that there are limitations to what you can do and you have to accept them without complaint."

April huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're being way too harsh, Leo," Casey said. "Red's on our side and you need all the help you can get."

"I mean what I say, Casey," Leo replied. "She's not being put at risk and neither are you."

"Why do you have to be such an asshole?" Casey snapped.

"Watch it, Jones!" Raph snarled.

"It's true, Raph," Casey replied. "How many times have you said yourself that Leo's an asshole?"

"I agree with him on this point," Raph said. "You better listen to him because he knows what he's talking about."

"Yeah, like we should really be taking orders from someone who got his ass handed to him by the Foot," Casey said sarcastically.

Leo growled and made to go for Casey, but his leg gave out. He clutched it, wincing in pain.

"See what I mean?" Casey smirked.

"That's enough!" Raph yelled. "You're gonna treat my brother with respect or you can clear out, Jones! Leo's the best damn leader we have, and I trust him with my life. If you don't get that, then you can leave now and see how long you last out there with the Kraang?"

"Whatever," Casey muttered as he hurried off to a corner of the warehouse followed by April. Raph wanted to go after him, but Slash placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Let him go, Raph. He's not worth it. Let's just focus on what we have to do."

Raph nodded as he and Slash took Leo into the sewers to get his strength back.

22222

The next few days were pretty strenuous for Leo as he not only was doing training to get his strength back but also meditation exercises with Rockwell to help him for when he restored Splinter. He was seriously nervous about all of this. What if it didn't work and Splinter was stuck as he was? Would they ever be able to get him back to his original state? And how could they count on Leo to do it when he had so much baggage in his mind already?

"Leonardo, you're not focusing," Rockwell scolded.

Leo sighed. "Sorry, Doc," he said. "I'm trying, but I'm just worried this won't work."

"It will work, my friend," Rockwell reassured him. "And remember that I'll help you if you need it, so don't worry. Now, let's try again."

Leo nodded and did as Rockwell asked. He couldn't dwell on the negative because if he did, then Splinter would never get saved. So he focused on the good things and the memories he was hoping to convey to Splinter. This just had to work. It had to.

When he was done, Slash helped him up and to the couch. Leo asked where Raph was, and Slash answered that Raph, Mikey, and Leatherhead were scouting the sewers for signs of Splinter and the Kraang. They wanted to make sure there was no interference when they tried to get Splinter back.

"That's good," said Leo.

"Are you okay?" Slash asked him.

"Yeah. I'm just nervous about all of this. I just hope it'll work."

"It will. You're good with all of this stuff, Leo. Don't count yourself out too soon."

Leo knew Slash was right, but he was still nervous about all of this. Anything could go wrong, and he just didn't want to deal with anything going awry. He'd had enough of that already. With a sigh, Leo settled down to take a nap and calm his mind.

22222

Finally, the night arrived where they were going to get Splinter back. Everyone was alert and ready for the mission. Casey and April wished them luck and actually meant it. Leo was still guilty about how he'd had a fight with them about coming on the mission, but he put that thought out of his mind. Now wasn't the time to dwell on it. He thanked them and led the others into the sewers. All was quiet, but soon they found where Splinter was. The rat growled and made straight for them. Slash and Raph countered his attack and the battle began. Leo stayed out of it and waited until they were able to subdue Splinter with Mikey's kusarigama chain tied around him. Splinter struggled, but there was no way he could get loose.

"Okay, Leo, do your thing," Raph said.

Leo nodded and sat in a semi-lotus position, focusing his energy on the memories he wanted to present Splinter with. Everything seemed fine, until memories of Leo's attack invaded his mind, paralyzing him with fear. The memories he'd conjured disappeared, leaving behind horrible memories of Leo getting attacked and beaten. Leo did his best to get these memories out of his head, but they just wouldn't go away. Then Rockwell took over, helping Leo to get rid of the memories and bringing back the ones Leo wanted to convey. With the doctor's help, Leo focused on the task at hand and channeled the memories he wanted his father to see.

At first, Splinter resisted, but then he slowly began to come back to himself. He opened his eyes and looked around at everyone staring at him.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You did it, Leo!" Mkey cheered.

Leo snapped out of his trance and saw Splinter staring at him. "Sensei, is that you?" he asked.

"Yes, I am here," Splinter replied. He opened his arms and the Turtles rushed to hug him with Leo bringing up the rear and hugging his father last.

"It's good to see you back, Sensei," Leo said.

"It is good to be back, my sons," he said. "Now we must go home."

"But our Lair's been destroyed," Mikey told him.

"Then where have you been staying?" Splinter asked.

"I stayed with Slash and the other Mutanimals after Slash rescued me from Shredder," Leo answered. "The others stayed at Antonio's because they didn't want to leave the city without me."

"I see," Splinter mused. "Then we will stay with the Mutanimals until we defeat the Kraang. That is, if it is all right with them."

"Our home is your home, Master Splinter," Slash replied.

Splinter nodded and followed the Turtles and the Mutanimals back to the warehouse. April and Casey were happy to see Splinter was okay.

"Now our family is complete," said April.

"Not quite," said Leo, thinking of Karai.

Splinter put a paw on his son's shoulder. "We will rescue her in time, my son. For now we must concentrate on defeating the Kraang and taking back what is ours."

Leo nodded. "I understand, Sensei," he said.

Then they gathered around and swapped stories about what had happened after the Kraang invaded. Splinter was shocked by what he heard and what Leo had gone through during his ordeal. Yet he was proud that his sons had reunited and had banded together in order to find him with their new allies. After stories were shared and food was eaten, the family of mutants and humans settled down to rest and to prepare for the battle that was to come. It was going to be hard going and very stressful, but they knew that they could do anything now that they were whole again. And once they did, the Kraang would be defeated and the city would be taken back.

A/N: So that's the end of that chapter. I'm having fun with this story, but I don't know how much longer I can keep it up. I'll have one chapter that'll deal with the battle with the Kraang and possibly another about the aftermath and that might be it. It'll just depend on what I can do and what you guys want to see. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


End file.
